The Secretary of Agriculture (hereafter referred to in this section as the “Secretary”) may establish a program to use volunteers in carrying out the programs of the Department of Agriculture.

(b) Acceptance of personnel

The Secretary may accept, subject to regulations issued by the Office of Personnel Management, voluntary service for the Department of Agriculture for such purpose if the service:

(1)is to be without compensation; and

(2)will not be used to displace any employee of the Department of Agriculture including the local, county, and State committees established under section
590h(b) of title
16.

(c) Federal employee status

Any individual who provides voluntary service under this section shall not be considered a Federal employee, except for purposes of chapter
81 of title
5 (relating to compensation for injury), and sections
2671 through
2680 of title
28 (relating to tort claims).

Section effective Dec. 22, 1981, see section 1801 ofPub. L. 97–98, set out as a note under section
4301 of this title.

Authorization of Appropriations

Pub. L. 97–98, title XV, § 1527,Dec. 22, 1981, 95 Stat. 1337, provided that: “There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this subtitle [subtitle G (§§ 1526,
1527) of title XV of Pub. L. 97–98, enacting this section and this note], such sums to remain available until expended.”

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